Traditionally, consumer video tape media is distributed in a video cassette format. The video cassette contains both, a supply reel for storing a quantity of magnetic recording media and a take-up reel. In the cassette format the tape on the supply reel is physically connected to the take-up reel. In operation the tape is advanced onto the take-up reel during operation of the video tape equipment. This "cassette" style package provides a tape format which is convenient to use. One drawback to this packaging strategy is that an empty take-up reel is stored along with a supply reel, which renders this format inefficient for the storage of magnetically recorded information.
The storage of magnetic recording media on a single spool video cartridge has been proposed as a method of increasing the storage efficiency for tape products. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,577,811 teaches an autothread tape cartridge for storing digital magnetic tape.
Single supply reel video cartridges are also disclosed in U.K. Patent application 2,217,684 A, which shows a single spool video cartridge for use with VHS format adapter.